Jazz Articles
Our daily articles are carefully curated by the All About Jazz staff. You can find more articles by searching our website, see what's trending on our popular articles page or read articles ahead of their published dates on our Coming Soon page. Read our daily album reviews.
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Javier Subatin: Autotelic
by Jakob Baekgaard
The Wind and the Kite. Once upon a time there were two kite builders. They had studied their craft for many years and so they knew exactly how to build a kite. The spine had to be strong, combined with the spar, it is the skeleton of the kite, it is also called the frame. The cover, or the sail of the kite, was made of the finest materials, silk and rice paper so fragile it could easily be torn ...
Continue ReadingJoao Espadinha: Kill The Boy
by Chris Mosey
"Kill The Boy," title of Portuguese guitarist Joao Espadinha's first album, is taken from G.R.R. Martin's novel “A Feast For Crows," fourth in the epic fantasy series, “A Song Of Ice And Fire," which went on to become the immensely popular television series “Game Of Thrones." But there is no violent medieval escapism here; no white walkers, no dragons, no raunchy sex. Instead Espadinha is intent on portraying his first faltering steps into the adult world. His ...
Continue ReadingMoFrancesco Quintetto: Kucheza
by Chris Mosey
This album features a new, jazz version of the oldest song in the world. “The Seikilos Epitaph," probably from 200BC, was found engraved on a tombstone, or stele near the ancient Greek city of Ephesus in what is now Turkey. It was signed by someone called Seikilos and dedicated to Euterpe, most likely his wife, along with the following lyrics: While you live, shine Have no grief at all Life exists only ...
Continue ReadingMoFrancesco Quintetto: Kucheza
by Sacha O'Grady
Jazz has certainly come a long way since its early beginnings, whose free spirit and richness of form means that one could easily spend a whole lifetime marvelling at its infinite variety. And none more so than on Kucheza, the MoFrancesco Quintetto's sublime and engaging new album. Based in Lisbon, Portugal, European jazz doesn't get any better than this. Combining both traditional elements of the art form, along with more continental contours, Kucheza makes for one sophisticated and enjoyable journey. ...
Continue ReadingJoel Silva: Geyser
by Budd Kopman
Portuguese drummer Joel Silva has organized a very fine band to bring his compositions to life. The resulting album, Geyser, is a deeply felt paean to nature and man's place within it. From the opening track, the music (with one exception) creates mental images of wide-open spaces and the emotions of awe and humility. Within this emotional space, the core band of fellow Portuguese countryman, pianist Joao Paulo Esteves da Silva and bassist Antonio Quintino, assisted by two ...
Continue ReadingMoFrancesco Quintetto: Piedra Solar (MoFrancesco Quintetto)
by Budd Kopman
The MoFrancesco Quintetto, led by super-bassist Francesco Valente is one powerhouse group that will blow your socks off playing originals anchored in hard-bop with an Iberian twist, but who also can show a softer, more melodic side. Piedra Solar features the core group (Valente, drummer/percussionist Miguel Moreira, pianist Iuri Gaspar, Johannes Krieger on trumpet with Joao Capinha on tenor sax and flute or multi-instrumentalist (saxophones and flutes) Guto Lucena, and here with guest vocalists Jaco Loredo and Aline ...
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